Lost Without You
by Lady Emily
Summary: *"Just tell her the three words every woman wants to hear: I... was wrong." Cody takes Zack's advice and apologizes to Bailey during Lost at Sea. One shot C/B fluff.*


Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. This story was written purely for fun and not profit.

A/N: Hello, welcome to my very first Suite Life story. Hope you like it!

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"_Just tell her the three words every woman wants to hear: I... was wrong."_

Cody Martin was pacing back and forth in an ankle-deep rut in the sand. It was a beautiful night, clear and moonlit, breezy but not too cool, warm water, soft sand- a tropical paradise, but he was oblivious to his surroundings. When he and his friends had been stranded on this deserted island after accidentally drifting out to sea in a lifeboat, he had been relieved at finally having a chance at survival. But his girlfriend Bailey (now _ex-_girlfriend, he thought miserably) had been too furious at him for disregarding her directions to even talk to him. And worse, _she was flirting with Zack._

"I guess it was bound to happen eventually." Cody murmured resentfully to himself. Cody was great at math problems and science projects, but Zack was always the athletic, hands-on twin who so effortlessly impressed the girls.

At least Zack didn't seem to feel the same way about Bailey. Jokingly, he had offered to wait three months before moving in on his brother's girl. And he'd given Cody some serious advice: apologize.

"But I wasn't wrong!" Cody argued with himself. "What did she expect, that we were just going to sail right up to _Japan_? And why _wouldn't_ the Coriolis effect apply here?! It's _only_ responsible for the rotational dynamics of all large-scale atmospheric and oceanic circulation."

He sighed, sitting in the sand and gazing towards Bailey's "hut"- a bamboo frame covered over with palm fronds. She was in there right now... probably asleep, in the makeshift bed _Zack_ had built for her... maybe dreaming about how _athletic_ and _outdoorsy_ and _attractive_ Zack is... Cody groaned. Was having Bailey as a girlfriend worth crawling in there and groveling at her feet, apologizing for something he'd done _right_?

The answer, of course, was a resounding _yes. _It's not like he had any dignity left to preserve at this point.

But could he win Bailey back when she seemed to only have eyes for his twin?

He didn't know, but it was clear he at least had to try. Summoning his resolve, he got to his feet and approached Bailey's little hut. Nervously, he tapped his knuckles against the bamboo, gently, as if he didn't actually want her to hear. Receiving no response, he took a deep breath, pushed the leaves aside, and slipped inside the hut.

"Bailey, I was wrong." Zack's proposed admission spilled from Cody's lips before he had a chance to take in his surroundings. The hut was dark, but the light of the full moon streamed in through the gaps in the leaves, casting an angelic glow on Bailey's sleeping figure.

She began to stir at the sound of his voice. "Cody?" she whispered with a dreamy smile. Realizing suddenly where she was, she sat up quickly, wrapping her blanket (one of London's prized mink stoles) around her shoulders. Her smile disappeared. "Cody. Oh. It's you." They stared at each other awkwardly for a long moment before Bailey broke the silence. "What are you doing in my hut?"

Her icy tone cut Cody to the quick. She hadn't shown the slightest intention of forgiving him, and he had just crept into her room and woken her up in the middle of the night... what _was_ he doing here? He should have known better. "I was wrong." he said again.

"What?" she folded her arms and narrowed her eyes.

"I'm trying to say I'm sorry." Cody protested. "I shouldn't have gone against the group and changed our heading. I should have listened to you."

"Yes, you should have." Bailey returned, running her fingers through her messy hair. "But... to tell the truth, I'm glad you did. Maybe you were right and maybe I was, but at any rate you found land and who knows if I could have. The important thing is that everyone is safe, and we're not dying of thirst in that miserable boat."

Cody blinked. "If you're glad we found land, why-" _did you break up with me, _he meant to say, but his voice cracked badly on the last word.

Bailey suppressed a giggle and adopted a stern tone. "Cody, it wasn't about who found land. It's the principle of the thing!" Shyly, she pushed her hair behind her ear. "...And, well... I was a little embarrassed. And I was scared."

Cody stared at her, dumbfounded. _Embarrassed? Scared? Really?_ "We're all scared, Bailey. I know I got us into this mess, but we're all in it together, and we're going to be okay. I promise. I'm sorry. Please... forgive me?" He was aware that he was babbling and was seriously considering whether dropping to his knees would help his case.

Bailey thought he sounded miserable. Taking pity on him, she scooted over and offered him a seat on the bed. "Okay Cody. I forgive you." She held her arms out for a hug.

Cody was frozen to the spot, unable to believe his luck. Recognizing this, Bailey stood, letting the stole fall from her shoulders, and wrapped her arms around him. She felt his arms slowly creep around her waist.

Bailey felt wonderful in his arms, just like always. Her skin was warm and soft, and she looked breathtaking in the semi-darkness. Her face was buried in his neck and he wondered what she would say if he raised her chin, met her eyes and kissed her on the mouth...

In his mind, Cody knew he should be happy with this and let the subject die. But he couldn't help wondering whether Bailey meant this hug as a way of getting them back together, or if it was simply a friendly gesture... He knew _for sure_ he shouldn't bring up Zack, that he wouldn't be able to handle it if she confessed to really having feelings for Zack, but the morbid curiosity in his stomach made him choke up the words. "What about Zack?" _Brilliant move, Cody._

She started to pull away and he held on tight, afraid of what he might see in her face. She struggled for a moment before relaxing against him. "What _about_ Zack?" Her confused voice was muffled by Cody's neck.

_Shut up, Cody! Let it go!_ The frantic voice in his head sounded suspiciously like Zack, and it only upset him more. "You... you were flirting with him!" He released her suddenly by gesturing widely with his arms, pointing an accusing finger in her face.

Bailey gasped. "Wha-! Cody! Flirting? _Zack?_"

"Yeah, that's what I said!" Cody sneered. "How _could_ you?!"

"I did no such thing!" she hissed back.

Her denial only made him more incensed. "_Wow, Zack, we're so lucky we have you to help us find water! Oh Zack, if I had to be trapped on an island with someone, I'm so glad it was you! Here Zack, do you like this **basket** I **wove** for you?_" he mimicked in a high-pitched voice. _Stop it!_ the voice in his head was screaming, but he'd bottled up his jealousy for too long to take control of it.

For a long minute the only sound Bailey could make was a disbelieving scoff. "He needed the basket to carry all the _fish!_" she spat indignantly.

"_He built you a bed!_" Cody exclaimed hysterically.

"_It's very comfortable!_" she yelled back.

"_Oh, yeah?!_"

"_Oh yeah!"_

They stopped, both breathing hard, slowly realizing how ridiculous their argument had become. Before Cody could open his mouth to apologize, Bailey reached out and grabbed him by the back of the neck, tugging his lips to her own.

Caught off guard, Cody's arms pinwheeled as he lost his balance, knocking them both back onto Zack's bed. With a loud crack, the bed's bamboo legs broke and the bed frame thudded to the ground with the two teenagers still on it, sending sand flying.

"_Wow._" Cody breathed, not sure whether he was more stunned by the hard fall or by Bailey's kiss.

"Ugh!" Bailey spat out sand, brushing it out of her hair and face. She waited until Cody had brushed himself off and met his eyes. "How could you think I was interested in Zack?" she asked seriously, taking his hand in both of hers.

"All the girls are." Cody said. "And who can blame them? Look at him, finding water, building huts..."

"Cody..." Bailey sensed they were now touching on some of his deepest insecurities. "Everyone is good at different things. Zack might be good at wilderness survival, but you can do so many other things that he can't. You are just as attractive as Zack." she smiled and leaned towards him. "More, I think." She slung an arm around him and tilted her face up at him. "Do _you_ forgive _me_ yet?"

Cody laughed quietly. "Only if you forgive me for breaking your bed."

Bailey kicked out and sent one of the bamboo legs flying through a gap in the leafy wall. "No harm done." she grinned. When she turned back to Cody he was staring at her, admiration evident in his expression. "What?"

"Nothing." Cody answered, embarrassed. "You've just got some sand. On your-" he gestured to her face.

She ran a hand over her face. "Where?"

"Here." Cody reached over and brushed his hand against her cheek. "There you go."

Before he could remove his hand she rested hers over it. "Cody... I was miserable without you. I don't ever want you to doubt how I feel about you."

Cody scooted closer to her, wrapping his other arm around her waist. "And how is that?"

Her eyes drifted closed and she puckered her lips, waiting for him to meet her halfway, which he did gladly. When he pulled back, he was breathing heavily. "Even though I got us stuck in this mess?"

She bit her lip coyly. "You know, the situation's really not that bad... I mean, the beach? The tropical island, the warm breeze, the stars? No one around for miles and miles but us? Kinda... romantic, don't you think?"

"Now that you mention it..." Cody waggled his eyebrows, making Bailey giggle. They both leaned in for another kiss but jumped apart suddenly at the sound of shouting voices outside.

"_What does a girl have to do to get room service around here?!"_

"_Coming, ma'am!"_

"_No- OW, Woody, you're stepping on my sternum!"_

"Well no one for miles but us, London, Woody, and Zack." Cody amended.

"Why doesn't Zack give Woody the bottom bunk?" Bailey said, shaking her head.

"No idea. I'm just surprised Zack knows where his sternum is." He stood up regretfully. "Maybe I should go."

"Or..." Bailey kept hold of his hand, prompting him to turn around. "You could stay."

Cody's eyes widened. "I can't _stay_." Though surprised and shocked by her brazen suggestion, he couldn't remember ever being more tempted. By _anything_. However, if Zack were to find out- and he _would_ find out- Cody would never have peace again. Zack's silence tended to be expensive... with no money-back guarantee. Not that Bailey was making it easy for him.

"Just until I fall asleep?" Bailey said, pouting. "You woke me up! And you _did_ break my bed." she pointed out.

"Just until you... fall asleep." Cody agreed, voice cracking. He sat on the bed (which was now little more than a bamboo mat on the ground) and wrapped his arms around Bailey as she leaned back against him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"But don't _you_ fall asleep." Bailey warned sleepily, snuggling into him.

"Yeah... no chance of that." Cody assured her, rolling his eyes skyward.

For once, he was actually going to have to thank Zack.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! Please tell me what you think!


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